Page 4 December 2012
www.thesoutherncross.org.au
The
Southern Cross | news
South Australia's new head of
Correctional Services says he is
keen to continue strengthening
links between church groups
and the prison system to ensure
prisoners get the best chance of
success in those pivotal days and
weeks after prison release.
"N
l
i
i
c
a
tc
s
e
"If we could build those
connections with community and
church groups...then the chances
of them succeeding are so much
better."
Mr Brown was a keynote speaker
at the launch at the Adelaide Gaol
of a new resource developed by
the South Australian Council of
Churches (SACC) to encourage
parishioners, congregations and
faith-filled communities to act and
advocate on behalf of prisoners.
Mr Brown began his role as chief
executive on October 1.
Chairman of the Leaders of
Christian Churches SA Anglican
Archbishop Dr Jeffrey Driver said
the online ecumenical resource
Prisoners, Prisons and Respectful
Relationships Resource would
help churches access existing
resources, and raise awareness and
improve responses to the needs of
prisoners, especially those
re-entering the community.
"Churches are remarkably well
placed to assist prisoners through
a great range of volunteers, with
a huge capacity to care and
who are supported by their own
communities," said Archbishop
Driver.
"We can offer that bridge role as
people seek to transition (from
prison) back into society, which is a
hard and critical time as to whether
they go back to gaol or get on their
feet."
The online document details:
prisoners' personal stories,
statistics and postcodes of
disadvantage pinpointing
Adelaide's at-risk communities,
prayers and poems for justice, and
information on volunteering, caring
and preparing prisoners for release.
"If prisoners are coming out to a
receptive group of people who are
supportive, not demeaning, and
who are assisting because they
really care, then the whole impact
on a prisoner (returning to society)
is very different," said Catholic
prison chaplain Martyn Paxton.
Mr Paxton was among
representatives from several
churches, including Catholic
Communities facilitator Jill
Gallio, Catholic Communities
volunteer and retired social
worker Bernadette Kerr, Sister
Marie Faulkner rsj, Br Trevor Dean
and Frederic Ozanam Housing
Association executive officer Tony
Roach, who helped develop the
resource -- which is an ongoing
work.
"It's an amazing resource that
considers prisoners in a positive
and respectful way," said Mrs Kerr.
"I think it will give congregations
the opportunity to look at prisoners
in a different light."
The resource can be downloaded
at www.sacc.asn.au or phone
(08) 8215 0300.
Bridge gap
for prisoners
NEW CHIEF: Correctional Service chief executive David Brown meets the Adelaide
Archdiocese's (L-R) prison chaplains Martyn Paxton and Sister Liz Koziole rsj and
(far right) Catholic Communities volunteer Bernadette Kerr at the Adelaide Gaol launch last
month of an ecumenical online resource to assist prisoners.
By Rebecca DiGirolamo
Continued from page 3.
The Southern Cross has come up
with some ideas for gifts that Jesus
would have endorsed:
• Donate small jars of instant
coffee, bottles of water, multi
& single-trip bus tickets, men's
thongs, personal hygiene products
(razors and deodorant), USB
drives -- for education and training
programs, pre-paid phone cards,
supermarket gift cards and
sunscreen to the Hutt Street Centre.
• Give a $50 gift of Sustainable
Agriculture from Caritas Global
Gifts.
• Donate to the Vinnie's Christmas
Appeal or provide items suitable for
Christmas and food hampers to any
Vinnies Centre.
• Give a $58 Catholic Mission gift
card, which will provide 20 visually
impaired students in India each with
a Braile slate.
• Give a Sponsor Gift Card of $20
enabling a child and their carer to
attend three monthly health clinic
checks as part of the Born to
Live Charity Inc -- set up to assist
children born with HIV in Thailand.
• Buy two chickens for $5 to
help a family in Africa through
TEARAUSTRALIA.
• Spring clean your cupboards
and donate the goods, including
unwanted Christmas gifts, to St
Vincent de Paul and other charitable
op shops.
• Donate new toys for young
children, day-to-day women's
and baby's toiletry items and non
perishable food for hampers to
Louise Place.
• Donate women's toiletries,
notebooks, thongs, stationery, and
fashion accessories to Catherine
House.
• Help save a life this Christmas
and donate blood to the Australian
Red Cross (call 13 14 95 to make
an appointment or go to www.
donateblood.com.au)
• Donate time to sew small toiletry
bags, and donate toiletries for
women, men and babies and art
supplies to the Otherway Centre.
• Volunteer or donate to Catholic
Charities.
Contact information for these gift
ideas can be viewed at
www.adelaide.catholic.org.au/
news-and-events/the-southern-
cross or by phoning The Southern
Cross on 8210 8117.
Goodwill gift list
Browning Street, Clearview
www.aca.sa.gov.au
8139 7402
Enfield Mausoleum is Adelaide's
premier mausoleum --- a perfect
burial place of dignity and
respect set in a tranquil garden
setting at Enfield Memorial Park.
New Courtyard Gardens offer
single and companion crypts
each with a 99 year lease.
N
ur
n
d
care,"
said Correctional
Services chief
executive David Brown last month.
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